Electrode for storage batteries.



' PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903.

' L. PAEET;

ELECTRODE FOR STORAGE BATTERIES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 8, 1899. I

R0 MODEL.

UNITED TTES 'PATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD PAGET, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES COSTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRODE. FOR STORAGE BATTERIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,607, dated January 6, 19 03. Application filed September 8, 1899. Serial No. 729,887. (No model.)

f0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD PAGET, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at New York, countyof New York, and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrodes for Storage Batteries, fully described and represented in the following specification, and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to storage batteries, the object of the invention being to provide an improved battery-electrode which shall possess the advantages of a true Plant plate in respect to rapid charge and discharge, while at the same time avoiding the long period of formation required for producing Plant plates and which shall be light, strong, and durable under the expansion and contraction occurring in use, present a large surface for action in the battery, and secure a large discharge. I secure this result by a construction employing precipitated finelydivided lead, preferably in the form of arborescent crystals of lead pressed into the form of thin corrugated sheets, preferably inclosed within an elastic non conducting frame and which when they are to be used as oxygen electrodes are preferably covered with a thin coating of peroxid of lead; and the invention consists in certain features of construction in storage-battery electrodes and plates or other elements for forming the same, all as fully described hereinafter, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

For a full understanding of the invention a detailed description of a storage-battery electrode embodying all the features of the invention in their preferred form and the preferred process of making the electrode will now be given in connection with themcompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- I Figure 1 is a side View of a complete electrode or plate, formed by combining six small plates to produce an electrode of the size desired. Fig. 2 is a side view, on a larger scale,

of one of the small plates forming a portion of the electrode of Fig. l and which forms a complete electrode in itself and may be so used. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 of Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1 the electrode is shown as formed of a series of small plates A, having the common conductor B passing over the tops of the plates and connecting the conducting-lugs C of the small plates, so that these six small plates A are connected into a single electrode or battery plate. The lugs C may be soldered to the conductor 13 or otherwise connected, so as to secure the desired conductivity.

Each of the small plates A consists of a thin sheet, formed by pressing precipitated lead in the well-known form of the arbores cent crystals of lead, which may be obtained by any suitable method of precipitation either with or without an electric current. This plate is corrugated, with the corrugations running vertically or longitudinally of the plate, as shown, and the plate is preferablyinclosed on the bottom and edges by an elastic frame D, formed, preferably, of vulcanized soft elastic rubber, so as to permit the plate to expand and contract transversely to the corrugations during the process of charging and discharging the battery, while at the same time holding the corrugated plate in proper form. On the top of the plate A the lug O is formed in tegral with the plate by hydraulic pressure or otherwise, so as to secure the desired conductivity between the plate A and lug O. A separate lug might be attached to the plate; but such a construction would not be so efficient or durable. Each of the plates A is preferably not over an inch in width, and the best results are secured with even narrower plates, and the thickness of the plates-that is, the

depth of the corrugations and of the frame D-- is preferably from a quarter to a third of an inch; but this may be varied. The sheets of lead corrugated to form the plates are preferably not more than from one-half to one millimeter in thickness, the use of such thin plates being very desirable, although the thickness may be increased somewhat with fair results. The plates A when combined to form a large plate in the manner shown will be separated a suflicient distance to allow for expansion and contraction and permit the electrolyte to circulate freely between the plates A, as shown in Fig. 1.

The plate shown is assumed to be an oxyi) Lu] gen electrode, and the lead plate is shown as covered with a thin hard shell 1 of peroxid of lead deposited upon the precipitated lead 2 and forming a hard shell to hold the precipitated lead together'and in proper form. In case of a hydrogen electrode this shell of peroxid of lead will not be used. The process by which this plate is preferably made is as follows: I take precipitated lead in the form of arborescent crystals and press this lead into a thin sheet under ordinary screw-pressure, preferably corrugating it at the same time by using a corrugated mold. I then form the conducting-lug on the end of the plate by hydraulic pressure or otherwise. The plate may he used without the elastic frame D, in which case the plate is now ready for use to form a hydrogen electrode, or the elastic frame D may be applied either before or after the conducting-lug is formed.

If the plate is to form an oxygen electrode or peroxid plate, [deposit on it, preferably by making it the anode in a nitrate-of-lead solution with a metallic lead cathode, a thin coating of peroxid of lead, which forms a very hard shell outside the precipitated lead, so as to keep the plate firm and aid in holding the precipitated lead together and in proper form during the forming and charging and discharging operations. I then put the plate in a battery and form it throughout by an electric current of one direction, thus producing practically a solid plate of peroxid of lead. This step of depositing a thin shell of peroxid of lead before electrically forming may be applied also to elements of other forms than plates, the crystals of lead being pressed into bars or rods instead of plates, and this portion of the invention, broadly considered, includessuchanelementofanyform. Ihave found in practice that the shell of peroxid of lead must be deposited before the forming operation, for if an attempt be made to thus deposit peroxid of lead after forming a plate or element of other form the plate will become so hard throughout as to be practically impervious to the action of the electrolyte and not secure efficient action in the battery. This coating with peroxid of lead before forming produces an element in which the electrical action will penetrate the element and secure the highest efficiency, while at the same time the very thin hard shell thus formed secures the requisite stiffness of a plate without a metallic support and with a low specific gravity, so that a thin plate may be used.

My invention provides a plate which will be found to admit of a very rapid charge and discharge, while the plate is electrically formed in manufacture practically at once, no long period of time being required, as in the case of an ordinary Plant plate. The plate also is very light and small for the surface utilized in the battery, and a very large discharge is secured for the size and weight of the battery. The arborescent crystals of the precipitated lead form hooks which look together firmly under pressure, thus forming a very strong plate, while at the same time retaining the porosity required for the best action of the plate. The corrugated plate provides for expansion and contraction perfectly, especially with the small plates described, which may be combined to form the large plates required in batteries, and it is found in practice that the grooves of the corrugations are not filled up in the operation of the battery, so that the total surface of the plate remains active. While these corrugated plates are preferably used in the form of small plates combined, as described, to form larger plates, it will be understood that the invention, broadly considered, includes such corrugated plates, made of any width desired, and large electrodes may be made of a single sheet of such corrugated material.

The feature of corrugating is of very great importance and makes possible the practical use of a thin plate of compressed arborescent crystals of lead. This corrugating of the thin plate of active material prevents buc kling of the plate by stiffening it and by providing for the taking up of the expansion and contraction by the elasticity resulting from the corrugations, and this prevention of buckling and provision for expansion and contraction prevents the disintegration which must otherwise result in such a plate of active material throughout. With this prevention of buckling, distortion, and disintegration also a large increase in surface is secured.

The thin layer of peroxid deposited before forming not only strengthens the plate, but disintegration and oxidation of the active ma terial, with the resulting bad conductinglayer which always accompanies these, are wholly avoided and a conductor over the whole surface of the plate is provided, which secures a better and more complete formation of the plate.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the construction and process described without departing from the invention, and I am not to be limited to the exact form and construction of the electrode shown or to its production by the process described.

What I claim isl. A plate adapted to form a storage-battery electrode and consisting of a thin corrugated plate of compressed arborescent crystals of lead, substantially as described.

2. A plate adapted to form a storage-battery oxygen electrode and consisting of a thin corrugated plate of compressed arborescent crystals of lead with a thin shell of peroxid of lead deposited on the plate, substantially as described.

3. A plate adapted to form a storage-battery electrode and consisting of a thin corrugated plate of compressed arborescent crystals of lead, and a frame of elastic non-conducting material about the edges of the plate, substantially as described.

4. A plate adapted to form a storage-battery oxygen electrode and consisting of a thin corrugated plate of compressed arborescent crystals of lead With a thin shell of peroxid of lead on said plate and a frame of elastic non-conducting material about the edges of the plate, substantially as described.

5. A plate adapted to form a storage-battery electrode comprising a series of small plates with space between them, each of said small plates consisting of a thin corrugated plate of compressed arboresceut crystals of lead, substantially as described.

6. A plate adapted to form a storage-battery electrode comprising a series of small plates with space between them, each of said small plates consisting of a thin corrugated plate of compressed arborescent crystals of lead deposited with a thin shell of peroxid of lead on the plate, substantially as described.

7. A plate adapted to form a storage-battery electrode comprising a series of small plates with space between them, each of said small plates consisting of a thincorrugated plate of compressed arborescent crystals of lead and a frame of elastic non-conducting material about the edges of the small plate, substantially as described.

8. A plate adapted to form a storage-battery electrode comprising a series of small plates with space between them, each of said small plates consisting of a thin corrugated plate of compressed arborescent crystals of lead with a thin shell of peroxid of lead on said small plate and a frame of elastic nonconducting material about the edges of the small plate, substantially as described.

9. An element adapted to form a storagebattery electrode consisting of compressed arborescent crystals of metallic lead with a thin shell of peroxid of lead deposited thereon, substantially as described.

10. A plate adapted to form a storage-battery electrode and consisting of a thin corrugated plate of compressed finely-divided lead, substantially as described.

11. A plate adapted to form a storage-battery electrode and consisting of a thin corrugated plate of compressed finely-divided lead with a thin sheet of peroxid of lead deposited on the plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEONARD PAGET.

Witnesses:

O. J. SAWYER, T. F. KEHOE. 

